Businesses invited to host painted wine barrels

Organizers of the 4th Annual Ramona Art and Wine Festival are seeking Ramona or other area businesses with high foot traffic and visibility to host painted wine barrels for display in the weeks before the auction at the event on Nov. 5.

Two more hosts are needed, in addition to D’Carlos Restaurant, Boll Weevil Restaurant, Walter Andersen Nursery Poway and San Vicente Resort. Any business interested in hosting a barrel may contact Lyttleton@sv-mail.com or call 760-787-1102.

A $250 donation by the business host covers the honorarium paid to the artist painting the barrel and a ticket to the Art and Wine Festival scheduled from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Begent Ranch on Highland Valley Road.

By having the barrels on their site, businesses benefit by enticing visitors to view them prior to the auction, said event organizers. In addition, festival publicity will feature business hosts, artists and barrels in press releases, on websites, and in email blasts.

Hosts also have the opportunity to place a reserve bid on the barrel. If that amount is not met or exceeded at the auction held at the festival, the host will receive the barrel for the reserve bid price.

The Festival Committee has a team of “barrel wranglers” who will transport the barrels to and from artists, hosts and the festival site. Hosts are responsible for protecting them from theft or damage.

Proceeds from this event are to benefit the Ramona H.E.A.R.T. Mural Project, a 501(c)(3) corporation created to increase tourism, expand community pride, and celebrate cultural heritage through an outdoor visual arts program. “H” – Historic & Hiking; “E” – Equine; “A” – Arts, Antiques, Agriculture, “R” – scenic Rural vistas & drives; “T” – Tasting of fine wines.

Tickets to the festival are on sale at the festival website, ramonaartandwinefest.net.